Lighter than air aircraft with heating means for the gas bags thereof



June 3, 1952 w. E. FARMER 2,599,241

LIGHTER THAN AIR AIRCRAFT WITH HEATING MEANS FOR THE GAS BAGS THEREOFFiledJuly 11, 1950 5 Sheet-Sheeft 1 Walter E Farmer IN VEN TOR.

June 3, 1952 Filed July 11 1950 W E. FARMER LIGHTER THAN A IR AIRCRAFTWITH HEATING MEANS FOR THE GAS BAGS THEREOF 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Waller E.Farmer INVENTOR.

2mm; WWW FM? June 3, 1952 w. E. FAhMER 2,599,241

LIGHTER THAN AIR AIRCRAFT WITH HEATING MEANS FOR THE GAS BAGS THEREOFFiled July 11, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 4

, Walter E- Farmer INVENTOR.

Patented June 3, 1 952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTER THAN AIRAIRCRAFT wrrrr HEAT- ING MEANS FOR THE GAS BAGS THEREOF Walter E.Farmer, Corsicana, Tex.

Application July 11, 1950, Serial No. 173,104

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in aircraft of the typeclassified as lighter than air.

An object of this invention is to employ some of the heat connected withthe operation of an engine for the purpose of expanding the gas in thegas bag of a lighter than air craft'to therebyincrease the effectivevolumetric displacement of the gas bag while the engine is in operationand to provide a means for introducing cool air in proximity to the gasin the gas bag for causing the gas to contract, these functionsbeingcontrolled in accordance with the perogative of the pilot of the.craft. By virtue of this arrangement the use of ballast or theexhausting. of gas may be entirely obviated in a lighter than air craft.

Ancillary objects andfeatures of importance will become apparent infollowing the description of the illustrated forms of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device, portions being brokenaway to illustrate internal details;

Figure 2 is an elevationalview of the device, the structural members andhull of the craft being shown in phantom;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of portions of a typicalaircraft of this type, portions being shown in phantom and this figureillustrating a second form of the invention;

Figure 4 is a schematicv view, portions being shown in section and,portions in elevation showing some of the common subject matter of theembodiments of Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line5-5 of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 ofFigure 4 and in the direction of the arrows; V

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line11 of Figure 3 and in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 8 is a frontview of the device in Figure 1.

In carrying out this invention there is provided in a typical aircraftll! of the'lighter than air type, a means of transferring some of theheat generated by the engine of the aircraft for expanding the gas inthe gas bag or bags 12. As conventional structure there is an empennagegenerally indicated at l4 and a cabin [6 located at the bottom of thehull, the hull covering being disposed on suitable framing members I8.

Attention is first invited to Figure 4. Here there is a typical engine20 which is of the Jet 2 propulsion type and which includes an enginetube 22. The front section 24 of the engine tube extends forwardly ofthe jet engine 20, while the rear section 26 including a tail coneextends from the opposite end of the engine 20. A housing 28 defining aheating chamber 30 is concentrically arranged with the rear section 26of the tube 22. There is an air duct 32 having a flared forward end 34opening forwardly of the aircraft for increase of dynamic pressure whilethe aircraft is in forward flight. The air duct is connected to one endof the housing 26 by means of a conduit 36 and is connected to a pipe orconduit 38 by means of a by-pass conduit 40. To complete the bypassassembly there is a valve 42 disposed in the duct 32 at the point whereit merges with the part thereof considered the by-pass line in order toselectively control the direction of movement of the air through the airduct that is, to determine whether the air is to flow through thechamber 30 and into the line 38 or to determine whether the air is topass directly into the by-pass by circumventing the chamber 30. Anysuitable means may be employed for operating the valve 42, for examplethe hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly 44 through the linkage 48.Suitable controls and means of applying fluid under pressure to thecylinderpiston assembly are supplied, these being purely conventional innature.

A return line 49 opens into the front section 24 of the tube 22 and hasa control valve 50 therein Y at a convenient location in order to openand close the return line. This valve, as are all of the valves, isoperated by conventional control means, either manual or through theassistance of hydraulic or electrical forces.

Reference is now made to Figures 2 and 3. The previously describedstructure is common to both of the illustrated embodiments. In Figure 2the heat exchanger 54 consists of a number of connected coils, therebeing a front section 56 and a rear section 58. For the rear sectionthere is a return line 60 feeding into the tail cone section 26 of thetube 22 and a valve 62 therefor. For the front section 56 there is thedescribed return line 48 with its valve 50 therein.

In the embodiment of Figure 2 the coils are adapted to be disposedaround the gas bags l2 and on the exterior thereof, whereby the heatedair passing through the heat exchanger 54 causes the gas in the gas bagsl2 to expand due to the proximity of the coils to the gas in the bags.

With respect to Figure 3 the heat exchanger 10 consists of a number ofsubstantially horizontal tubes 12 which are disposed in the actual gasbags 12 so that the heat in the tubes is transferred to the gas of thebags by proximity to the gas. In this instance the heated air passesinto the line 38 whence it enters the heat exchanger through themanifold 14 thereof, this manifold being disposed at the rear of thecraft and having each of the tubes 12 connected thereto. The tubes 12extend forwardly of the craft and open.

into the front section 24 of the tube 22 individually. Valves 18 areemployed for controlling the passage of air into the front section ofthe tube 22, there being one valve provided-for eaohitube,

Each of these valves is connectedby; means of;

cables or a ring or the like for operation so that the operation may besimultaneous;

In operation of the device coolair enters the uletine adi -c n thegasinrh ga bagsthiseast iscaused torexpandi 'I heheated'air.being placediunderpass considerable dynamic pressure, flows,

freely, through theheatexchanger, until it enters,

the forward part or section of the tube. .22l When :this: airis;heated,it ,will be notedthat the air; passing into; the ,--intake sectionit, ofthe-tube 22 is preheated inasmuchy as; allzof theheatwill,

not? be: extracted therefrom in passing. through the: gas; bags; thiSglending tomore; eificientien'-. gine zil operation; Therefore, not only,isgthegas in; the gas-bags l2eexpanded1b -using thedevice.

but also, 7 more efficient enginezoperation isvrealrized IntheinstanceofFigureL the 'heated airwill flow fromthe -rearofthecraft.to,the front due to the-nature, and" construction of: 1211831183113exchanger i8. 7 portion of the heated air will. flow, rearwardlY:

for deposit: in the tail coneyportion ofitheqjet engine, this heated airbeing twasted 7 after; hauling served: its purpose of expanding the gas1 in the bags l2. exchan er 54' opens into 7- the front part-of i thetube 22; so that this-air ispassed .throughithei engine for supportingcombustion. withinithat engine.- Moreoven'the airpassing throughthe;airinlet section ZiLof thetube,Z2rcausesa suce tion at the'pointof.entry of theireturn linegdfic,

with the tube 22.

It; is recommended thatthe device: b.e. emp. loyed assoutlinediabovewhen thefcraft is-to. c1imb...0r sustain a position above the. surfaceof .theearth.

Whenit is desired to descend, byrmanipulationi of: th e ,va1ve;42..theairs entering the. scoop f 341s,

bye-passed [through the, line 40 directly into the heat exchanger5.4.or; 'lflaso that,the,heat ex=- changeranow serves the purposeOf-leXtracting, heatifrom the gas in the bags ,YI zgthereby-idecreascingthe density; of-thergas, andnaccording'lyide- In the instance ofFigure.2, a-.

But, the front section 56 ofthe heatv creasing the volumetricdisplacement or the gas bags l2. This will aid in descent of the craft.

By employing the above described construction not only may a jetpropulsion system be adapted for eflicient use with a lighter than aircraft of the dirigible type, but it may also be put to practical use forheat utility which would ordinaril or otherwise be wasted. The axialarrangementaoftheiliube 22i;iis; rof imnqnibnce due to thefacility-ofextending heat. exchangers into the desired parts of thecraft.

Having described the invention, claimedasznew is;

-1. lnl-ianiairoraftiwhich includes a longitudinal axis, a jet enginetube axially arranged in the aircraft; a-8asbag disposed adjacent saidtube, andlmeansimnnected to said tube to direct heated fluid from nearthe tube into close proximity to thegas in said bag to heat the gas inthe bag from heat of the tube, aacool air duct operatively connectediwthzsa dunee suand aecnntr lassembly; torenden said ducteqnfirativeftocool thee gas.- in theabagi and; said-control iassfimblmacbmmi vs abit-pass: conneetedz-withi.saimduete none; en 'andr connected at: thepinch end: t asaidi meansaands axvalve to;.directiainfmmisaid: duct?selectively. into: said: chambem anti; directlnvinto: a,=.iheat:exchanges:- whichciormssaa part; saidmeans. V

,2; ,Iniamaimraft Wm01'i31'laS;.a:%gai$flb3/gj gins; tube: having a:lionsingatlie eom forming; a: heating chamber: ram ainyiducti'connect'edcto -saidf heating chamberszanchmlieaitz exchangeroperas:tively; cemented: withisaimchamb'er and: located:

what is for heatttexchangesitowthergas of saidlgasbag;

RERERENCEStiQmED The" following; references are :of'-recordinsthe UNITED, STATESJPATENTS Number: Name .Datez:

1,598,002 Parker Aunt-31, .1926 1,62,93843; i Silvers -V;May- 24,11,927116533349: 11-1611 -iDfiCii-QT; .1927? 1,729,020 Szymanskrcu, ;Sept.24;s.l9 29-;i 1,8 ,260; Barrera; av. Dec. fizz-1. 3

FOREIGN PATENTS N umber 5 Country g Date 262,089 GreateBritainm.v Aug..18.; 1927 v

